The Cup is still Swiss
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5-2, the Swiss have crossed the finish line one second ahead to keep the Cup. It is an extraordinary match full of excitement. It is the victory for some and deception for others. Everything is very close between the two top racing teams. But it is overall, incredible match racing…
Bertarelli et la Coupe ACM 2007© Carlos Lujan
Once again, it is an amazing match racing experience. The Swiss have won, it could have been the Kiwis and up until the last second, the tension was palpable in the supporter crowd in the village. During the hour and a half of racing, the nerves were tense.
Emirates Team New Zealand lead on the first upwind leg by one boat length but the Swiss pushed their competition to the layline after several tacking duels and rounded the windward mark by seconds. They maintained their advantage up until the Swiss had a bad jibe. Their spinnaker flew about for 5 seconds, to the advantage of the New Zealanders who passed the buoy 14 seconds in advance.
One would think the New Zealanders had recuperated, but with the Swiss on their heels, the two boats engaged in a tacking duel, favoring the Swiss. In trying to save their position, the Kiwis tried to mix it up at the windward mark, yet Alinghi wasn't interested. The black boat, at the mark, took a penalty, not reacting quickly enough to the aggressive Swiss move. It is desperation for some and luck for others.
On the last downwind leg, one would think the regatta was over, the Swiss had 134 meters advantage over the Kiwis, but 600 meters before the finish line, the gig was up. Alinghi is totally stopped and stuck in the water. The Kiwis move to the front and hakas are resounding in the village. Here they come, 110 meters, 50 meters, 1 meter, they pass Alinghi, they pass them by 40 meters, arriving at the line, do their penalty, and cross the line one second behind Alinghi, who has been able to cross the line a little bit ahead... it is simply spectacular.
It is the most spectacular Cup in 9 years. There was a winner each regatta, but there could have been a different boat each time. The Swiss five times have had had the last word in the last regattas. Today, the match was even better, if the Kiwis had been successful in the last leg... it would have been even better!” concluded Pierrer Mas, helmsman for China Team
The 32nd America’s Cup has been won, long live the 33rd Cup!
Fdb/Lh Valencia 4th of July 2007
Emirates Team New Zealand lead on the first upwind leg by one boat length but the Swiss pushed their competition to the layline after several tacking duels and rounded the windward mark by seconds. They maintained their advantage up until the Swiss had a bad jibe. Their spinnaker flew about for 5 seconds, to the advantage of the New Zealanders who passed the buoy 14 seconds in advance.
One would think the New Zealanders had recuperated, but with the Swiss on their heels, the two boats engaged in a tacking duel, favoring the Swiss. In trying to save their position, the Kiwis tried to mix it up at the windward mark, yet Alinghi wasn't interested. The black boat, at the mark, took a penalty, not reacting quickly enough to the aggressive Swiss move. It is desperation for some and luck for others.
On the last downwind leg, one would think the regatta was over, the Swiss had 134 meters advantage over the Kiwis, but 600 meters before the finish line, the gig was up. Alinghi is totally stopped and stuck in the water. The Kiwis move to the front and hakas are resounding in the village. Here they come, 110 meters, 50 meters, 1 meter, they pass Alinghi, they pass them by 40 meters, arriving at the line, do their penalty, and cross the line one second behind Alinghi, who has been able to cross the line a little bit ahead... it is simply spectacular.
It is the most spectacular Cup in 9 years. There was a winner each regatta, but there could have been a different boat each time. The Swiss five times have had had the last word in the last regattas. Today, the match was even better, if the Kiwis had been successful in the last leg... it would have been even better!” concluded Pierrer Mas, helmsman for China Team
The 32nd America’s Cup has been won, long live the 33rd Cup!
Fdb/Lh Valencia 4th of July 2007
ACM 2007© Carlos Lujan
Alinghi winner © Rémi Villard
Alinghi winner © Rémi Villard